Needle disposal system comprised of blood collection holder and companion biohazard receptacle

ABSTRACT

A needle disposal system has a blood collection holder with an engaged blood collection needle and a companion biohazard receptacle for disposal of the needle after use. First, the blood collection needle engaged to the holder is irreversibly positively locked upon insertion into respective needle removal device of the biohazard receptacle, thereby preventing withdrawal of the needle from the biohazard receptacle. The needle is then unthreaded from the holder and disposed of inside the biohazard receptacle.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of the Applicant's U.S. patentApplication Ser. No. 07/708,900, filed on May 31, 1991, now U.S. Pat.No. 5,273,161.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a blood collection holder with anengaged blood collection needle and a companion biohazard receptacle fordisposal of a needle and, more particularly to a blood collection systemcomprised of means in which a blood collection needle engaged to aholder is irreversibly positively locked when inserted into a needleremoval device of a biohazard receptacle, thereby preventing withdrawalof the needle from the biohazard receptacle, following which the needleis unthreaded from the holder and disposed inside the receptacle.

2. Description of the Prior Art

To obtain a blood sample, blood is drawn into an evacuated bloodcollection tube through a double ended needle. The needle includes ahub, an anterior needle for tissue penetration into a blood vessel and aposterior needle having an exterior elastomeric valve. The posterior endof the needle is penetrably inserted within a holder having femalethreads for threadedly engaging the hub to retain the double endedneedle positionally fixed with respect to the holder. A common exampleof this conventional holder is sold under the brand name VACUTAINER®.The proximal end of the holder is open to receive an evacuated bloodcollection tube having a stopper for penetrably receiving the posteriorneedle. During venipuncture, blood will flow through the anterior needleand the posterior needle into the collection tube. When the collectiontube is removed, the elastomeric valve recovers the posterior needle toprevent spontaneous blood flow from the needle. Upon completion of thevenipuncture procedure, the anterior needle is withdrawn from thepatient's vein. While the holder is often reused, the double endedneedle must be safely removed from the holder, without causing needlestick and contact with the contaminated needle. Typically, aconventional biohazard receptacle for needles is provided with a lidhaving various shaped slots to engage the needle hub. To dispose of aused needle, the phlebotomist must carefully place the exposed needlehub into the slot, grip and rotate the holder to unthread the needle andcause the disengaged needle to drop completely through the slot into theunderlying container. A danger arises after the needle is disengagedfrom a holder if the hub remains engaged in the slot, causing upstandingexposure of the posterior needle. The user must manually disengage thehub from the slot to permit the needle to drop into the receptacle. Inaddition, when the hub is engaged in the slot, there is no positivelocking mechanism to irreversibly grip the needle hut and prevent theneedle from moving outwardly from the slot. Thus a user may engage theneedle hub into a slot, incompletely unthread the needle from theholder, lift the holder with the partially attached needle away from thebiohazard container which will cause dangerous exposure to a usedneedle. Aside from hub engaging slots, other devices have been developedincluding the use of fixed and movable jaws to engage the needle hub.These devices exhibit a positive locking means for retaining the needlein the needle removal mechanism. These positive locking means arereversible to allow release of a disengaged needle from the needleremoval mechanism. Thus, the user can be endangered if the positivelocking means is prematurely released, allowing exteriorization of theneedle from the biohazard receptacle. Mechanized devices for unthreadinga double ended needle are also known but these mechanisms also lackirreversible positive locking means which can potentially cause theneedle to exteriorize outside of the biohazard devices.

A recently available reusable safety blood collection holder (i.e.ACCI-GUARD® HOLDER which is described in co-pending patent application:BLOOD COLLECTION TUBE HOLDER, Ser. No. 430,311), includes an insert forengaging the double ended needle. The insert is translatable within theholder to fully enclose and shield both the anterior and posteriorneedles of the double ended needle. The holder includes an anteriorcollar for shielding the pointed end of the anterior needle uponposterior retraction of the insert within the holder. Known syringe andneedle removal mechanisms are not well suited for receiving anddisposing needles from such devices since the hub of the double endedneedle is shielded by the anterior collar and is not accessible forgripping by the opposed edges of a slot, jaws or the like.

In co-pending applications, DISPOSAL FOR NEEDLES AND SYRINGES (Ser. No.536,708) and DISPOSAL FOR DISENGAGING AND RECEIVING NEEDLES (Ser. No.536,378), biohazard receptacles with needle removal mechanisms aredescribed. These two co-pending patent applications describe needleremoval devices which are compatible with currently available holders ofthe VACUTAINER® and ACCI-GUARD® types, creating a safety bloodcollection system. However this safety blood collection system has nostructural means to ensure that a double ended blood collection needleis irreversibly positively locked when inserted into the needle removaldevices, which would prevent withdrawal of the needle from the biohazardreceptacle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Holders of the VACUTAINER® type and ACCI-GUARD® types have anteriorbosses with female threads into which a double ended needle isthreadedly engaged. The diameters of the anterior bosses of both typesof holders are typically the same or greater than the diameter of adouble ended needle hub. Modified blood collection holders described inthis patent application are designed so that the diameters of theanterior bosses are smaller in diameter as compared to the diameter of adouble ended needle hub. Henceforth, when a double ended needle attachedto these modified holders is inserted into respective needle removaldevices described in the aforementioned patent applications, a leafspring will be able to access and bias against the posterior surface ofthe needle hub. This will create an irreversible positive lock of ablood collection needle that has been inserted into a biohazardreceptacle, thereby preventing withdrawal of the needle from thebiohazard receptacle.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide ablood collection system which will permit irreversible positive grippingof a blood collection needle inside a needle removal device of abiohazard receptacle, thereby preventing withdrawal of the needle fromthe biohazard receptacle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an irreversiblepositive locking mechanism for a needle inserted into a needle removaldevice, thereby preventing withdrawal of the needle from the biohazardreceptacle, which needle removal device is comprised of a post forengaging a rib of the needle hub allowing unthreading of the needle froma holder, and a leaf spring for actively urging the disengaged needleinto the interior of the biohazard receptacle by biasing on theposterior surface of the needle hub.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bloodcollection system which will permit a single hand technique toirreversibly positively lock a blood collection needle inside anaccessible biohazard receptacle, thereby preventing withdrawal of theneedle from the biohazard receptacle, following which the needle willdisengage from the holder and fall freely into the interior of abiohazard receptacle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a system for safeblood collection when a biohazard container is not readily accessible.This system allows single hand point of use protection of a used needlewithin a translatable holder, transporting the holder to a biohazardcontainer, and single handedly inserting the holder-needle combinationinto a biohazard receptacle causing irreversible positive locking of theneedle, thereby preventing withdrawal of the needle from the biohazardreceptacle. Following this step, the needle will disengage from theholder and then fall freely inside the biohazard receptacle.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art as the description thereof proceeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described with greater clarity andspecificity with reference to the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a double ended blood collection needle;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a biohazard receptacle with needleremoval devices for engaging the hubs of double ended needles threadedlyengaged with two types of modified blood collection holders;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of needle removal device in FIG. 2 for onetype of modified blood collection holder;

FIG. 4 is a top view of needle removal device illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of another needle removal device in FIG. 2for a modified holder with a translating insert;

FIG. 6 is a partial top view of needle removal device illustrated inFIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 7--7 as shown in FIG.6.

FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view illustrating the relationshipsbetween needle removal devices engaging needle hubs which are attachedto respective modified types of blood collection holders; and

FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view illustrating the relationship betweena needle removal device engaging a needle hub which is attached to avariant modification of a VACUTAINER® type blood collection holder withspacer interference.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The merit of the invention described in this application will becomeapparent after a review of the prior art described in the followingco-pending applications: BLOOD COLLECTION TUBE HOLDER, Ser. No. 430,311;DISPOSAL FOR NEEDLES AND SYRINGES, Ser. No. 536,708; DISPOSAL FORDISENGAGING AND RECEIVING NEEDLES, Ser. No. 536,378.

FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional double ended needle 10 with a band 11disposed about the hub 15 intermediate the threaded segment 16 and theribbed segment 17. The double ended needle 10 is comprised of ananterior needle 18, a posterior needle 19 and an elastomeric valve 20which covers the posterior needle 19. FIG. 2 illustrates a biohazardreceptacle 30 comprised of a top 1, base receptacle 2 to which the top 1is permanently attached, aperture 5 for disposal of large medical waste,hinged lids 3,4 to lock over apertured needle removal devices 35,50 andaperture 5. Recessed needle removal devices 35,50 are used respectivelywith a modified blood collection holder 40 of the VACUTAINER® type and amodified blood collection holder 70 with a translatable insert of theACCI-GUARD® type. A double ended needle 10 is threadedly engaged to theanterior boss 41 of the holder 40. FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the needleremoval device 35 for holder 40. A cylindrical wall 36 depends from topsurface 21 to define a cylindrical recess 35 to receive and supportcylindrical anterior end 42 of the holder 40. An annular base 33 extendsradially inwardly from the cylindrical wall 36 to support the holder 40.A semi-cylindrical skirt 38 depends from the annular base 33 proximateaperture 37 formed centrally of the annular base 33. The interiordiameter defined by cylindrical wall 36 is approximately equivalent tothat of anterior end 42 of the blood collection holder 40. The interiordiameter of semi-cylindrical skirt 38 is approximately that defined byhub 15 of double ended needle 10. A longitudinally oriented post 39extends radially inwardly from semi-cylindrical skirt 38. The extent ofradial inward extension of post is sufficient to interferingly engagewith one of the ribs 17 on hub 15 upon insertion of anterior end 42 ofholder 40 within the recess 35. The post 39 will interferingly engage arib 17 of the hub 15 to prevent rotation of the hub commensurate withcounterclockwise rotation of the holder, thereby causing threadeddisengagement of the hub 15 from the holder 40. To encourage drop ofdouble ended needle into receptacle 30 upon threaded disengagement withthe holder, the end 34 of the post 39 may be canted inwardly downwardlyas a ramp to encourage downward sliding movement of the double endedneedle into the interior of receptacle. Due to manufacturing toleranceor for other reasons, disengagement between the double ended needle 10and holder 40 may require application of a force more positive than thatof gravity. To ensure disengagement after unthreading, one or more leafspring(s) 31 is formed in top of semi-cylindrical skirt 38 by ahorizontal separation 29 (FIG. 8A) between base 33 and top of free endof semi-cylindrical wall 38. The interior upper end of leaf springincludes an inwardly directed lip 32. When the anterior needle 18 andhub 15 are inserted into the recess 35, the leaf spring 31 movesradially outwardly to accommodate transport of the hub 15 past the leafspring lip 32. Until the needle begins to unthread from the holder, thelip 32 of leaf spring 31 may bias against the exterior surface of theneedle hub 15, the exterior surface 14 of the needle band 11 or theanterior boss 41 of the holder 40. Once the rib hub 17 engages the post39 and the holder 40 is rotated counterclockwise, the needle begins tounthread from the anterior boss 41 of the holder 40. The lip 32 of theleaf spring will then bias radially inwardly until it engages theposterior surface 13 of the needle band 11, and interfere with upwardwithdrawal of the hub upon upward movement of the holder from therecess.

A more complex modified holder (ACCI-GUARD®) 70, shown in FIG. 2, hasbeen developed to provide point of use protection from a used needle.This holder 70 has a translatable insert 71 with a boss 72 disposed atthe anterior end for threadedly engaging a hub 15 of a double endedneedle 10. A spring loaded tab 73 integrally attached to the insert 71extends through the holder for penetrable engagement with andtranslation along a slot 74 formed longitudinally in the holder 70. Theslot 74 includes an anterior laterally expanded segment 75 and aposterior laterally expanded segment 76 for receiving the tab 73 tolockingly retain insert 71 in the anterior 75 or posterior 76 positions.The length of the insert 71 is sufficient to fully enclose posteriorneedle 19 to prevent contact with that end of the needle. Upontranslation of insert 71 to its posterior position 76, anterior needle18 is enclosed within the anterior 80 portion of holder 70. Anterior endof holder includes a collar 81 for accommodating penetrationtherethrough of anterior needle. Upon retraction of insert 71 to itsposterior position 76, the pointed end of the anterior needle 18 may belocated within the confines of the anterior collar 81. To accommodatedisengagement of double ended needle 10 from holder 70 on completion ofvenipuncture, biohazard receptacle 30 with recessed needle removaldevice 50 may be used (FIGS. 2, 5-8). A cylindrical wall 51 extendsdownwardly from top surface 21 and defines an aperture 52. A base 53extends radially inwardly from a part of the lower end of thecylindrical wall 51 to support cylindrical anterior end 80 of holder 70.A cylindrical skirt 55 depends from the base 53. A three-quarter annularfloor 61 extends radially inwardly from cylindrical skirt 55 forsupporting an upwardly extending semi-cylindrical flange 54. An aperture65 communicating with the interior of the receptacle is defined by thewalls of the flange 54. The flange 54 is radially inwardly displacedfrom the interior surface of cylindrical skirt 55 to form a slot 60 withbottom defined by floor 61. The slot 60 has a radial width commensuratewith the radial width of collar 81 of holder 70. The bottom of the semicylindrical flange 56 has horizontal separation(s) 28 between floor 61and free ends of flange 54 to form leaf spring(s) 56. The upper end ofthe leaf spring(s) 56 includes a radially inwardly oriented lip 57. Thetop of the lip 57 may be canted downwardly inwardly to define a ramp.The floor 61 may be terminated by edges 58,59 which extend tangentiallyfrom flange 54 to cylindrical skirt 55. A post 62 extends radiallyinwardly from semi cylindrical flange 54 at its approximate mid point.The upper end of the post may be canted downwardly to define a ramp. Inoperation, collar 81 of holder 70 is inserted within slot 60 defined bycylindrical skirt 55 and semi cylindrical flange 54. Support of holdermay be provided by holder resting on surface 53 and by collar restingupon floor 61 or either one. After placement of collar within slot 60,tab 73 of holder 70 is translated to anterior expanded lateral segment75, thereby positioning anterior needle 18 into interior of receptacle30. A rib 17 of the hub 15 will interferingly engage the post 62. Theinward extension of post 62 is sufficient to extend adjacent the body ofhub and intermediate ribs 17 of the hub to interferingly engage a hubrib 17 during rotation of the holder about its longitudinal axis. Thus,counterclockwise rotation of the holder 70 will result in unthreadingand disengagement of the double ended needle 10 from the holder. Uponwithdrawal of the holder 70 the needle 10 will drop through the aperture65 into the receptacle 30. Until the needle begins to unthread from theholder, the lip 57 of leaf spring 56 may bias against the the exteriorsurface of the needle hub 15, the exterior surface 14 of the needle band11 or the anterior boss 72 of the holder 70. Once the rib 17 of hubengages the post 62 and the holder 70 is rotated, the needle begins tounthread from the anterior boss 72 of the holder 70. The lip 57 of theleaf spring 56 will then bias radially inwardly until it engages theposterior surface 13 of the needle band 11, interfering with upwardwithdrawal of the needle 10 upon upward movement of the holder 70 fromthe recess 50 and at the same time actively urge the disengaged needleinto the interior of the receptacle 30. The ramp of the post willencourage downward sliding of the disengaged needle into the receptacle.

Operation of holders of the VACUTAINER® and ACCI-GUARD® (i.e. withoutmodification as described in the present patent) in their respectiveneedle removal devices 35,50 will occasionally allow the needle to bewithdrawn from the biohazard receptacle. This occurs because therespective leaf spring lip 31,57 will bias radially inwardly on eitherthe needle hub 15, the exterior outer surface 14 of the needle band orthe anterior boss of the respective holder. When that occurs, the leafspring lip 31,57 will not be able to create an irreversible positivelock by positioning itself onto the posterior surface 13 of the needleband 11. As a result, a needle engaged to either unmodified holder willnot be irreversibly positively locked by the leaf spring bias within theneedle removal devices 35,50. Henceforth, in this circumstance there isa possibility that the used needle could exteriorize outwardly from thebiohazard container. This problem has necessitated developing astructural means to ensure that a needle will be irreversibly positivelylocked when it is inserted into either needle removal device 35,50. Inorder to accomplish this goal, the lip 32,57 of the leaf spring must beable to irreversibly grip the needle such as by biasing against theposterior surface 13 of the needle band 11. FIG. 8 illustrates thepreferred embodiment of this invention which accomplishes this goal byreducing the diameter 90 of the anterior boss 41,72 of the respectivemodified holders 40,70 in relation to the diameter of the needle band11. It is important to note that unmodified holders of the VACUTAINER®and ACCI-GUARD® types are typically manufactured with the diameter ofthe anterior boss being equivalent to or greater than the diameter ofthe needle band 11 of a double ended needle. Henceforth, by modifyingthese holders the smaller diameter of the anterior boss 41,72 permitsthe respective leaf spring lip 32,57 to access and bias against theposterior surface 13 of the needle band 11, thereby gripping the needlewith an irreversible positive locking mechanism that precludes movementof the needle outwardly from the biohazard container. When the leafspring lip 32,57 accesses the posterior surface 13 of the needle band,an audible click will indicate that the needle is irreversiblypositively locked within the biohazard container. Once the needle isirreversibly locked, it will become disengaged from the holder duringcounterclockwise rotation of the holder in relation to the biohazardcontainer, following which it will be actively urged into the interiorof the biohazard container by the spring action of the leaf spring(s)31,56.

FIG. 9 illustrates a second embodiment of a variant modification of aVACUTAINER® type holder 101. This embodiment also permits access andbias of the leaf spring lip 32 onto the posterior surface 13 of theneedle band 11, thereby producing an irreversible positive lock of theneedle within the biohazard receptacle. In the second embodiment, aninterference spacer 110, such as one or more beads located on theanterior end of boss 103 of variant modified holder 101, will create aspace 115 between the posterior surface 13 of the seated double endedneedle 10 and the anterior and of boss 103. This space 115 permitsaccess and bias of the leaf spring lip 32 onto the posterior surface 13of the needle band. The spacer interference design is also adaptable foran ACCI-GUARD® type of holder with a translatable insert. It is alsopossible to gain access to the posterior surface 13 of the needle tand11 by manufacturing a double ended needle with a needle band 11 that islarger in diameter than the diameter of the anterior boss of unmodifiedholders of the Vacutainer® and ACCI-GUARD® types. The relatively smallerdiameter of the anterior boss of these holders in relation to the largerdiameter of the needle band will permit access and bias of the leafspring lip 32,57 onto the posterior surface 13 of the needle band.

The addition of a structural element to permit irreversible positivelocking of a needle within a needle removal device, which preventswithdrawal of the needle from the biohazard receptacle, addsimmeasurable safety to the user. After blood collection, if a biohazardreceptacle is accessible the user single handely can insert eithermodified holder 40,70 with engaged needle into the respective recessedneedle removal devices 35,50 of the biohazard receptacle 30. When theholder and needle are seated properly into one of the needle removaldevices 35,50, a click will be audible to the user indicating that theneedle is irreversibly positively locked within the receptacle. In fact,the user can gently attempt to move the holder 40,70 outwardly from thereceptacle and the irreversible positive lock retains the holder to thebiohazard receptacle as long as the needle remains engaged to theholder. This maneuver will verify to the user that the needle isirreversibly positively locked within the receptacle. A counterclockwisetwist of the holder in relation to the biohazard receptacle willunthread the needle which is then actively urged into the interior ofthe receptacle by the bias of the leaf spring. If a biohazard receptacleis not readily accessible, structure of holder 70 will permit point ofuse retraction of the anterior needle 18 within the holder 70 bytranslating tab 73 with insert 71 from the anterior position 75 to theposterior position 76. The user then transports the holder 70 to abiohazard receptacle 30, properly seats holder 70 into needle removaldevice 50, moves tab 73 to anterior position 75 to exteriorize needleinto interior of receptacle, allows needle hub to become irreversiblypositively locked within receptacle as indicated by audible click andinability to withdraw holder from receptacle, and then twists holdercounterclockwise in relation to receptacle to unthread the needle whichis then forcibly urged into the interior of the receptacle. Both bloodcollection methods provide safe protected removal of a used needle andoffer alternatives to users in the medical profession.

Single ended needles attached to hypodermic syringes also have ribbedhubs. Accordingly, the first and second embodiments of this inventioncan be applied to syringes to develop a disposal system which willpermit irreversible positive locking of a single ended needle within abiohazard receptacle.

While the principles of the invention have now been made clean in anillustrative embodiment, there will be immediately obvious to thoseskilled in the art many modifications of structure, arrangement,proportions, elements, materials and components used in the practice ofthe invention which are particularly adapted for specific environmentsand operating requirements without departing from those principles.

We claim:
 1. A system for disposing of a double ended needlecomprising:a double ended needle having an anterior end and a posteriorend; a needle hub disposed on said double ended needle between saidanterior end and said posterior end having:(a) a posterior threadedsegment; (b) a segment having an enlarged diameter, and (c) an anteriorribbed segment; a blood collection holder having a boss for engagingsaid threaded segment of said needle hub; and a biohazard receptaclehaving:(a) an interior for storing said needle following disengagementfrom said holder; (b) an aperture for receiving the anterior end of saidneedle into said interior of said biohazard receptacle; (c) means forengaging said ribbed segment of said needle hub in said aperture forpreventing rotation of said needle as said holder is rotated, therebydisengaging said needle from said holder; and (d) locking means forengaging said enlarged segment of said hub to prevent withdrawal of saidneedle from said aperture of said biohazard receptacle while said holderis rotated to disengage said needle from said holder and for urging thedisengaged needle into said interior of said biohazard receptacle. 2.The system of claim 1 wherein said segment of said needle hub having anenlarged diameter comprises a posterior surface and said locking meanscomprises a leaf spring with a tip for engaging said posterior surfaceof said segment of said needle hub having an enlarged diameter.
 3. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein said segment of said needle hub having anenlarged diameter comprises a posterior surface and said biohazardreceptacle further comprises a semi-cylindrical skirt within saidaperture for contacting said needle hub, said semi-cylindrical skirthaving a leaf spring formed as an inwardly directed lip on saidsemi-cylindrical skirt for engaging said posterior surface of said hub.4. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for preventing rotation ofsaid needle is comprised of a post disposed within said aperture forengaging said ribbed segment of said hub.
 5. The system of claim 1,wherein said locking means produces an audible click when said lockingmeans engages said enlarged segment of said hub.
 6. A system fordisposing of a double ended needle comprising:a double ended needlehaving an anterior end and a posterior end; a needle hub disposed onsaid double ended needle between said anterior end and said posteriorend having:(a) a posterior threaded segment; (b) a horizontal bandhaving an enlarged diameter and a posterior surface; and (c) an anteriorribbed segment; a blood collection holder having an anterior collar anda translatable insert with a boss for engaging said threaded segment ofsaid hub, said boss having a diameter that is smaller than the diameterof said horizontal band of said hub; and a biohazard receptaclehaving:(a) an interior for storing said needle following disengagementfrom said holder, (b) an aperture for receiving said collar of saidholder and said anterior end of said needle into said interior of saidbiohazard receptacle; (c) means for engaging said ribbed segment of saidneedle hub in said aperture for preventing rotation of said needle assaid holder is rotated, thereby disengaging said needle from saidholder, and (d) locking means for engaging said posterior surface ofsaid horizontal band of said hub to prevent withdrawal of said needlefrom said aperture of said biohazard receptacle while said holder isrotated to disengage said needle from said holder and for urging thedisengaged needle into said interior of said biohazard receptacle. 7.The system of claim 6 wherein said means for preventing rotation of saidneedle is comprised of a post disposed within said aperture for engagingsaid ribbed segment of said needle hub.
 8. The system of claim 6,wherein said locking means comprises a leaf spring having a tip forengaging said posterior surface of said horizontal band of said needlehub.
 9. The system of claim 6, wherein said biohazard receptacle furthercomprises a semi-cylindrical skirt within said aperture having a leafspring formed as an inwardly directed lip on said semi-cylindrical skirtfor engaging said posterior surface of said needle hub.
 10. A system fordisposing of a double ended needle comprising:a double ended needlehaving an anterior end and a posterior end; a needle hub disposed onsaid double ended needle between said anterior end and said posteriorend having:(a) a posterior threaded segment; (b) a segment having anenlarged diameter and a posterior surface; and (c) an anterior ribbedsegment; a blood collection holder having a boss for engaging saidthreaded segment of said needle hub; and a biohazard receptaclehaving:(a) an interior for storing said needle following disengagementfrom said holder; (b) an aperture for receiving the anterior end of saidneedle into said interior of said biohazard receptacle; (c) means forengaging said ribbed segment of said needle hub in said aperture forpreventing rotation of said needle as said holder is rotated, therebydisengaging said needle from said holder; and (d) a leaf spring having abase fixed relative to said biohazard receptacle and a tip that is movedby insertion of said needle hub into said aperture into lockingengagement with said posterior surface of said enlarged segment of saidhub to prevent withdrawal of said needle from said aperture of saidbiohazard receptacle.
 11. The system of claim 10 wherein said means forpreventing rotation of said needle is comprised of a post disposedwithin said aperture for engaging said ribbed segment of said needlehub.
 12. The system of claim 10, wherein said biohazard receptaclefurther comprises a semi-cylindrical skirt within said aperture, andsaid leaf spring is formed as an inwardly directed lip on saidsemi-cylindrical skirt for engaging said posterior surface of saidneedle hub.
 13. A system for disposing of a needle comprising:a needlehaving a hub; a syringe having a boss for engaging said needle hub; anda biohazard receptacle having:(a) an interior for storing said needlefollowing disengagement from said holder; (b) an aperture for receivingsaid needle into said interior of said biohazard receptacle; (c) meansfor engaging said needle hub in said aperture for preventing rotation ofsaid needle as said syringe is rotated, thereby disengaging said needlefrom said syringe; and (d) locking means having a base fixed relative tosaid biohazard receptacle and a tip portion that is moved by insertionof said needle hub into said aperture into locking engagement with saidhub to prevent withdrawal of said needle from said aperture of saidbiohazard receptacle while said syringe is rotated to disengage saidneedle from said syringe and for urging said disengaged needle into saidinterior of said biohazard receptacle.
 14. The system of claim 13,wherein said needle hub comprises a ribbed segment and said means forpreventing rotation of said needle is comprised of a post disposedwithin said aperture for engaging said ribbed segment of said needlehub.
 15. The system of claim 13, wherein said biohazard receptaclefurther comprises a semi-cylindrical skirt within said aperture, andsaid spring locking means comprises a leaf spring formed as an inwardlydirected lip on said semi-cylindrical skirt for engaging said needlehub.
 16. A system for disposing of a double ended needle comprising:adouble ended needle having an anterior end and a posterior end; a needlehub disposed on said double ended needle between said anterior end andsaid posterior end having:(a) a posterior threaded segment; (b) asegment having an enlarged diameter and a posterior surface adjacentsaid threaded segment; and (c) an anterior ribbed segment; a bloodcollection holder having a boss for engaging said threaded segment ofsaid needle hub to a position abutting said posterior surface of theneedle hub, said boss having a smaller diameter than the diameter ofsaid enlarged segment of said needle hub; and a biohazard receptaclehaving:(a) an interior for storing said needle following disengagementfrom said holder; (b) an aperture for receiving the anterior end of saidneedle into said interior of said biohazard receptacle; (c) means forengaging said ribbed segment of said needle hub in said aperture forpreventing rotation of said needle as said holder is rotated, therebydisengaging said needle from said holder; and (d) a leaf spring having abase fixed relative to said biohazard receptacle and a tip that is movedby insertion of said needle hub into said aperture into lockingengagement with said posterior surface of said enlarged segment of saidhub adjacent to said boss to prevent withdrawal of said needle from saidaperture of said biohazard receptacle, and for urging said disengagedneedle into the interior of said biohazard receptacle.
 17. The system ofclaim 16, wherein said means for preventing rotation of said needle iscomprised of a post disposed within said aperture for engaging saidribbed segment of said needle hub.
 18. The system of claim 16, whereinsaid biohazard receptacle further comprises a semi-cylindrical skirtwithin said aperture, and said leaf spring is formed as an inwardlydirected lip on said semi-cylindrical skirt for engaging said posteriorsurface of said needle hub.